Walter Breen
- Same obv. Rev. Right ribbon end away from wreath. Other varieties may exist, in particular with 7 1 apart.
Dime. [960J At least two varieties; many also exist with 71 firmly touching or with 71 well apart.
- 71 nearly touch; normal date, shield point above tip of serif, pendant just r. of serif of 7, left base of first lover space, r. base of final lover center. Perfect and with crack joining ribbons below wreath (ANS, others). Nei1:l283; others.
- 71 close; 18 plainly double punched; shield point slightly r. of tip of serif, pendant r. of serif of 7, left base of first 1 r. of left edge, base of final 1 nearly over r. edge. Garrett set, others. This is apparently much scarcer.
Quarter. [960] At least two varieties.
- First die. 71 apart, shield point minutely beyond r. upright, left base of first lover space, r. base of final lover r. edge. Tiny rust pit on feathers well above top of shield, a little left of chief point (the middle cusp on top of shield). Later, worse rusted and drastically lapped; scroll incomplete left of IN, below GOD, and near WE. 1974 GENA:1355; "Gilhousen" : 690; Rothert: 435; Hirt: 1197; Garrett set, others.
- Second die: 71 about touch. Rev. as last. This is probably scarcer.
Half Dollar. [960] At least four varieties.
- Beistle I-A (the other varieties are apparently unlisted). 71 almost touch-barely free. Date below center. Rev. The weak incomplete stripes die of 1870. - Obv. as last. Rev. Normal stripes. 1974
GENA: 1608.
- 7 1 apart. Date low, toe not enclosed (lapped die). Shield point over r. foot, left base of first 1 just barely r. of left edge, r. base of final 1 r. of center. Rev. of 1868-70. This obv. represented in Garrett set; rev. not checked.
- Not in Beistle. Same obv. Rev. Normal stripes.
Which is scarcest?
Silver Dollar. [960] At least two varieties. As these larger dies lasted a shorter time than smaller ones, it is likely that others were made, but to date they have not been identified.
- *B-1. 7 1 apart, date below center, shield paintover left upright of first 1, left base of first 1 r. of left edge, r. base of final lover space and higher than first 1, or rather farther from border. Early state: normal dentils. Later state, after relapping: dentils at r. smaller, spaced apart. Garrett set. Rev. Some doubling on left wing feathers, though this is also found on many other dies of the period (is it in the hub?). Scattered faint die file marks in base of shield. Traces of inner line at dentils above EST. 1974 G EN A: 1088, Hirt: 1249, others.
- *B-2. 71 about touch; normal border. Apparently scarcer; none examined recently enough to check other die differences.
Some of these, both business strikes and proofs; were coined from melted horns from the Diligent Fire Engine Co. #10, Philadelphia, according to the Chapmans, May 27, 1889: 921.
Silver-minor proof sets. The 960 coined were made in small lots throughout the year:
Jan. 16 75
Jan. 19 50
Feb. 9 100
March 2 200
March 24 100
May 25 100
July 31 50
Aug. 24 50
Sept. 20 25
Sept. 26 100
Nov. 11 110
Some are still intact, others evidently assembled.
Gold Dollar. [30] *B-2. Obv. Thin letters, possibly the 1870 die relapped. Rev. 71 close, date low, some extra outlines on DOLLAR, no die file marks at DOL, tops of wreath attenuated. Coined Feb. 20, five days after the 3,900 B-1 business strikes. Same dies also used for copper, aluminum and nickel proofs. Ullmer:345, $1,900; Garrett: 445, $2,600. Probably under 15 survivors.
Quarter Eagle. [30] *B-1. Lump on neck below lovelock, very high date, 71 very close, left base of first 1 over r. edge, r. base of final 1 over left edge. Same date of mintage; these dies also used on copper, aluminum and nickel proofs. Some alleged proofs have turned out to be early B-1 business strikes. Equally rare. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Dunham: 1970, impaired. (5) WGC, "Memorable": 127. (6) Scanlon coll., unverified. (7) Garrett:444, $3,750. Few others.
Three Dollars. [30] Obv. of 1869 proofs, extra outline from forelock almost to bust point. Rev. 71 almost touch, level date slightly low, r. edge of second 1 below left tip of R; terminal tassels well apart. Deceptive first strikes exist. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg. (4) Wolfson: 297. (5) Grant Pierce: 1258, Jay:283, hairlined. (6) Garrett:443, $8,000. Several others, at least three impaired; equally rare with above. Also with 1872 obv., same rev., latter combination rarer and used also to make the copper, aluminum and nickel proofs.
Half Eagle. [30] Low date, 7 1 apart, first 1 recut (fades), left base of first 1 minutely r. of left edge, r. base of final 1 over r. edge. Rev. Polish below WE and at ST of motto. Exceedingly rare. (1) S1. (2) ANS. (3) Eliasberg? (4) Amon Carter Sr. & Jr. (5) Garrett: 442, opened at $3,200, bid up to $11,000. (6) Holmes:3549, impaired. (7) Wolfson: 499, impaired. A few others supposedly survive-where are they? The same dies were later used on copper, aluminum and nickel strikings